Have you ever grown so close to someone that you could finish each other’s sentences? My wife and I became that close to each other. That kind of relationship doesn’t happen overnight. It requires love and paying close attention to each other. It also requires a trust strong enough for us to drop our defenses and become totally vulnerable. When someone knows you that well, they also know all of your hot buttons, sensitivities and weaknesses. You don’t ever want to get into a serious argument with someone who is that well-armed.
When you are that close to someone you have a lot of shared experiences. Just a word or phrase can have you both smiling and even roaring with laughter at that private joke, as it brings back a shared memory. Because of that, you may no longer have the long conversations you used to have, but being together speaks more to each of you than a thousand words. Every time one of my friends has a wedding anniversary I congratulate them and remind them to cherish every precious moment together. They all know me well enough to understand my reason for that reminder.
I have had a 65 year relationship with God through His Son and His Holy Spirit. Without realizing it our relationship has become even closer than the one Carol and I shared. I have noticed that my prayers have gotten shorter and shorter over the years. No need to repeat what we already know about each other. Just a word or phrase will bring back a shared experience; a blessing or miracle that brings a smile or even a joyful laugh. Even without a lot of words, I continue to cherish every precious moment we have together, even though I know that those moments will now continue for eternity.
Those of you who have that kind of personal relationship with God know exactly what I mean. The rest of you now know it is possible to achieve that relationship and you can start working on it today. God has loved you before your birth (John 3:16) and He knows you better than you know yourself (Jeremiah 1:5); so all you have to do is love Him in return and pay close attention to His word and His Holy Spirit within you. Jesus teaches us, “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!” (Matthew 6:7-8) He always knows what we mean.